Continuous electrical outlet



Jan. 19, 1954 R. K. HENSLEY, JR 2,666,907

CONTINUOUS ELECTRICAL OUTLET Filed March 31, 1950 1N VENTOR Patented Jan. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES-PATENT OFFICE 2,666,307 CONTINUOUS ELECTRICAL OUTLET Robert K. Hensley, Jr., Silver Spring, Md.

Application March 31, 1950, Serial No. 153,087

3 Claims.

This invention appertains to an electrical wiring and conducting system and especially relates to improvements in continuous electrical outlets which are installed adjacent to the base board of a room.

The primary object of the instant invention is to provide a continuous electrical outlet, which is inexpensively manufactured and is easily installed on a base board or other part of a room.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an improved continuous outlet section formed of a flexible di-electric material, such as rubber, and having spaced parallel electrical conductors longitudinally embedded therein, with openings or slots for the prongs of a connector formed in one wall of the section, the prongs being formed with locking means for interlocking engagement with the section, and the connector being adapted to receive a conventional attachment plug.

Another important object of this invention is to provide novel securing means for securing the electrical conductors of two continuous outlet sections together, whereby a plurality of outlet sections may be installed in continuous form in a room.

These and ancillary objects and structural features of merit are attained by this invention, the preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a room having installed on the base board thereof a continuous electrical outlet embodying the features of the instant invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the outlet section;

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the section and a conventional attachment plug, with the novel plug for establishing electrical connection between the conductors and the attachment plug operatively interposed therebetween;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the interlocking means between the novel plug and the section; and

Figure 6 is a plan view, partly in section, of another means for establishing electrical connection between the adjacent ends of two outlet sections.

The instant invention is particularly adaptable for exposed installation in a room and is specifically designed to be installed along the upper edge of the base board. Obviously. various designs may be provided which would blend the outlet in with the base board, or the outlet could be formed as an integral part of the base board. Thus, the outlet could be shaped to replace a conventional strip on the base board or at the corner of a wall and the floor. However, regardless of the shape or dimensions of the continuous outlets other than the rectangular shape herein shown, all of the structural features illustrated and to be described will form a part of each outlet.

In its exemplary form, the outlet, generally designated by the numeral l0, includes an elongated'body section l2, which is rectangular in cross-section and is formed with angularly related flat walls l4, including parallel front and back walls l6 and I8. The body section is formed of a flexible, yielding di-electric material, such as rubber, or may be formed from a moldable electric insulation material, such as a moldable plastic, and is secured to the wall 32, or 'similar supporting surface, above the base board 8 by means of countersunk screws 30.

Embedded in the body section and spaced rearwardly from the front face or wall l6 are a pair of longitudinal parallel conductor strips or bars 20 and 22. At longitudinally spaced points along the front wall l6 of the body section, a series of openings or slots 24 are formed transversely in the section, communicating the front face 16 with the conductor bars. Each of the series of openings 24 includes transversely spaced companion openings 26 and 28, which are spaced apart the distance between the prongs of a connector or plug and are suitably dimensioned to snugly receive the prongs. Each opening transversely communicates with one of the conductor strips or bars, as seen in Figure 2.

The conductors 20 and 22 have opposing ends 34 and 36 which project beyond the end walls 38 of each body section, and are joined to the conductor bars of an adjacent body section so that electrical connection is established between adjoining body sections, as illustrated in Figure 1. As seen therein, sleeves 40 may be used to secure the co-axially aligned ends of the conductor strips of the adjoining strips together, the sleeves being formed with passages of the same dimensions as the conductor strips, so that the projecting ends of the strips are frictionally fitted therein and contact each other.

Of course, the sleeves completely cover the projecting ends of the conductor bars of the adjoining sections, the opposing ends of the sleeves abutting against the adjacent end walls of the In association with the (continuous outlet, a.

novel connector 46 is provided and includes a block 48 of insulated material and..from -wh-ich prongs 59 and 52 project. The prongs terminate in flat ends 54, which bear directly upon the conductor bars 20 and 22 and a gripping. onintenlocking action is exerted by the conductors and. by the resilient body section acting in directengagement with the prongs. The prongs are formed at their outer ends 54 with frusto conicalshaped heads 56,- and-ribs- 58 are longitudinally spaced thereon andprojectlaterally therefrom. The ribs offer no resistance -to an insertion of the prongs in-theopeningsbut prevent an=ac'-- cidental withdrawal or dislodgemen-tof the prongs.- The-prongs are easily inserted into the openings and theportions ofthebody sectionforming the openings-orthe-walls of the open-- ings are flexed-bythe :heads--56',' -allowingtheends 54 of the prongs to bear against the bars,

with the bars forced towards'theback wall and causing the walls of the openings to grip against the prongs and engagethe prongs between the. protruding-ribs'.- Thus', -'because -of the gripping action of the body section and the interlocking engagement therewith of the-prongs, due to the ribs formed thereon the connectors are locked in operative engagement -with: the -.:conr:lu'ctorstrips or bars. The prongs are conventionally mounted in c the block :and are operatively en-- gaged lay-the prongs 60 of a conventional attachment plug 62, the prongs: Gu -fitting in parallel-- entrance slots 64 -in -the block; as'seen-in Figure 4.

Means may be provided: toutilize a :conven-:

tional electrical-outlet ifi in'lthe base :board -8 or other. location; so-1as=to simplify the installa"- tion of the-continuous-outlet IO in an existing houseand take advantage of the-conventionaL wiring arrangement in a room. 1 Thus,-a jumper 68 may be usedand includes a conventionalplug 10 inserted in the outlet 66 and electrically connected byconductors 12 to-a plug 14, whi'ch-is formed with the prongs SUJ and 52;instead of-.

the conventional fia't prongs.

The manufacture-and installation of the con tinuous outlet and associatedwconnectors 46 can be carried out in an inexpensive and convenient manner, the installation being leifeoted by uti-' lizing the conventionala wiring arrangement in a room and the outlets and 'connectorswill; though exposed, besafe and blend-in with the:

interior designing oi the" room:

By a providing theprongs Strand 52 0f the con-:- nectors with shoulders-or with similar protruding means on the stems-thereof; the 'size of the- 4 prongs can be substantially reduced. Thus, the prongs can be made of a reduced length and diameter, for the interlocking coaction between the prongs and flexible outlet section will prevent any accidental dislodgement of the prongs.

In use, a continuous outlet section l0 may be fastened to each wall and the conductor strips of each section electrically connect by means of thev sleeves or. links 42. Ofcourse, the-jumper v158.could also .be used, in which icase the conductor strips would not project beyond the end walls 38 of the body section I2 and plugs 14 would be secured to the ends of the conductor wires llgflthe -plugs having prongs 50 and 52 mounted therein Having thus described the invention, what is claimed .is: .1

1. In. combination with an elongated outlet section of flexible insulative material adapted to be superimposed on a-supporting surface and having an inner wall engaging such surface and an outer wall spaced from the surface, said outlet section also having conductor strips with flat outer faces facing the outer wall of the outlet section embedded therein and having pairs of transverse openings communicating with the stripsand extending through the outer wall, a plug cooperating with the outlet section and comprising a body of insulative material, a pair of electrical conductor prongs embedded in the body and extending therefrom, said prongs being of a cross-sectional shape and size equal to the openings" in the outlet section, an enlarged free end on each prong havinga fiat free face hearing on-the strips and a locking shoulder of enlarged size adapted to engage the bounding walls of the openings.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said openings are round and the prongs are solid and of the same diameter as the openings.

3.'The combination of claim 1, wherein said prongs are formed with axially spaced frustoconical projections, the minor ends of the projections facing the free ends of the projections and the major ends being normal to the axis of the prongs and facing away from the free ends OfIthB prongs.

ROBERT K. 'HENSLEY, JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number. 1 Name: Date 911,844 Schoenberg Feb. 9,1909 953,709 Platt: Apr. 5,1910

1,296 801..- Hessel Mar. 11, 1919 1,617,810 Hubbell Feb. 15, 1927 2,037,630, Hudson Apr. 14. 1936 2,173,533 Dinkins Sept. 19, 1939 2,314,727 Morten- Mar. 23, 1943 2,331,654; Butler Oct. 12, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number. Country Date 23,979 Denmark Jan. 4, 1919 336,467v Germany May 2, 1921 

